An engine-generator or a genset may be a combination of an engine and a generator. Both components may be mounted together to form a single machine. A genset may provide electricity at various locations such as construction sites or emergency response sites. A genset may be a small person-portable device or a larger device that may be mounted on a skid or a trailer, depending on the requirements and location, and the amount of power that is needed for a particular use.
Gensets may be used as a backup power source or a primary power source. If power from a primary power source is no longer available the genset may be used for backup power. The genset may be shutdown when the primary source is made available again. The genset may also be used as a primary power source. In this case, the genset may be operated for extended periods of time during operation periods and subsequently shut down outside operation periods. In either case, the genset may remain in a shutdown condition for extended periods of time between operations. Cold gensets may be less efficient than gensets that are warm or hot. Thus, a genset that has not been in operation for an extended period may have a poor load acceptance.
An engine's efficiency may depend on the temperatures of its components and ambient atmospheric conditions. Loss of thermal energy produced from combustion through the cylinder walls will heat the engine block and cylinder head, its coolant, oil and other components and may finally be lost into the environment. In addition, at lower temperatures the lubricating oil's higher viscosity may lead to increased pumping and frictional losses within the engine. These increased losses, in combination with lower combustion efficiency, lead to reduced cold engine performance.
Engine manufacturers may often change the operation of the fuel delivery, or air systems, to mitigate the effects of a cold engine. One example of this is variance of the engine's injection timing in order to improve cold performance. With the introduction of engines with electronic control, the maximum fuel quantity delivered per stroke is also commonly limited until the engine has warmed. These techniques may reduce the engine's output power further thereby reducing the genset load acceptance capability when cold.
In many standby applications a jacket water heater may be fitted to the engine to continuously heat the coolant, maintaining it close to its full operating temperature. The jacket water heater may mitigate some of the difficulties which occur if the engine is started from cold. The practice may increase the operating cost to the site operator.
US2010156117 discloses a genset power system having a monitoring device configured to monitor the genset and to generate a signal. A performance module may be configured to provide an alarm and a shutdown command to the engine based on the signal. The power system may further have a switching device for switching between a first condition and a second condition. When the first condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may be overridden, the engine may be operated at a reduced speed and load output, and the generator may be inhibited from producing electrical power. When the second condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may affect operation of the power system, the engine may be operated at an elevated speed and load output, and the generator may be allowed to produce electrical power directed to the external load.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of the prior art system.